The “Festival Connection”

by: Alex Kennedy

How I truly found my people and my passion while standing in the crowd.

Chills crawl up my spine. I feel grounded and yet like I am floating all at the
same time. I look around and see thousands of like-minded, happy, genuinely
incredible people all around me.

The soundtrack to this moment is Kygo’s “Firestone”, as he plays it live while the sun is setting. I stop to take it all in. I take a deep breath and my eyes tear up. I have never felt so at home.

This is what a festival feels like for me. This story is just one of the many moments in my festival experiences that have felt this way.

Festivals and raving have truly brought such a unique community of amazing individuals into my life.

When I first started raving, I had no idea that it would change my life so positively, I honestly just went because all of my friends were going. I always had a passion
for music of all kinds, but as soon as I experienced my first EDM festival, I was
hooked.

Every single person I’ve met (and continue to meet) are so genuine, PLUR is a real thing.

You can be standing next to a complete stranger in the crowd and feel the emotional connection you both have to the music, which automatically draws you together.

The fireworks light up the sky, the visuals give you goosebumps, and you bask in the feeling of true bliss while under the Electric Sky.

The incredible thing is that I don’t only feel these feelings while at a festival. Sadly, festival season is such a short period of time, yet the connections I’ve made continue through every single day of the year.

Instagram has been a huge factor in keeping these connections alive- some of these are people I’ve met at festivals and kept in touch with, and some I just found through the IG festival community as well as the shuffle community.

I began taking shuffling seriously after Ultra 2019. I saw the shufflers vibing
out, hyping each other up, and living their best freaking lives and I thought, “THAT
is where I am meant to be.”

So from the day I landed from Miami back to Toronto, I got to work. I watched every YouTube video I could, as well as followed as many shufflers on IG as possible, such as Vanessa Seco, Cici Stamper, Gabby J, David, and Elena Cruz.

They all have amazing tutorials on both IG and Youtube, and have greatly helped shape me into the dancer I am today!

I have now been shuffling for almost a year, (Ultra 2020 being my Shuffle-versary!) and I can genuinely say that shuffling has CHANGED.MY.LIFE.

Beyond the incredible people and connections I’ve made, shuffling has given me the opportunity to get back in shape, find a passion I truly love, connect with the music on a more soulful level, and channel my emotions into a safe space.

(If shuffling or cutting shapes is something you have been wanting to try but maybe have been too nervous, THIS IS YOUR SIGN!

Trust me when I say the shuffle community is so supportive and can help you every step along the way. Feel free to reach out to me and I can help you out as well!)

All in all, I am so grateful to have experienced my first festival in 2015, because it has shaped the person I am today and has become something that I
look forward to every single day.

The Festival Connection is so real!

Make sure to check out the cute outfits and accessories here at Rave Bae Couture 💚

About the author: Alex Kennedy

Hey y'all! 💙 My name is Alex Kennedy, I am 24 years old and I am a hairstylist in Toronto, Canada. I am a travel and festival enthusiast, and in the last year I have really found a passion in shuffling and cutting shapes!

My goal is to spread good vibes and PLUR everywhere I go, and my mission in life is to help others be the absolute best version of themselves! You can find me in Instagram as @alchemyxadventures, I hope to connect with you soon! 😊